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Clinic Policies


    Test Results Policy

    • All abnormal results will be communicated to our patients. Timing of the notification will be based on the urgency of the result.
    • Due to high volumes and limited administrative funding, we are unable to provide NORMAL lab results by phone or through our online portal. If you wish to receive these results please book an appointment with your doctor.
    • Requests for an electronic or hard copy of your result(s) are subject to an administrative fee ($5).
    • Please allow up to 1 week for the doctor to respond to your request (longer if doctor on vacation).


    Prescription Renewal Policy

    • Your doctor will always strive to prescribe enough medications to last until your next appointment is due . For many long-term medications, this can be up to a year.
    • Prescription renewals are only provided during a clinic appointment with your own physician.
    • Emergency Requests to renew medications by phone or through the patient portal are subject to an administrative fee of $20.
    • All renewal requests can take up to two (2) weeks to be processed by your physician (or longer if your physician is on vacation).
    • In rare cases where your physician is not available (due to holidays) your pharmacy can typically fill an emergency renewal of most medications to bridge the gap until your next appointment. A 2 week emergency supply of your prescription(s) will also be provided at urgent care clinic if all above options have been exhausted.


    Late Cancellation/No Show Policy

    • We ask that our patients provide 24 hours notice prior to cancelling or rescheduling appointments.
    • There will be a $50 charge for any late cancellations or no show visits.


    Lateness Policy

    • During the COVID-19 pandemic, we advise that you please only show up 5 minutes early for your appointment to minimize the amount of wait time in the clinic.
    • However, if you do come late to your appointment, this could lead to a rescheduling of your appointment and may be subject to a missed appointment fee.


    OHIP Card Policy

    • Our patients are required to present a valid OHIP card at each visit.
    • In case your OHIP card is invalid/expired you are responsible for cost of the visit.
    • We allow our patients a grace period of 30 days in order to renew their OHIP card and call us back with updated information.
    • If we do not have your updated card within 30 days of visit, you will be invoiced the full cost of the visit.


    Outside Use Policy

    • You are reminded that the Ministry of Health Enrolment & Consent you signed when enrolling at GFHT stipulates that you are expected to visit us for all of your primary care needs.
    • Visiting another family physician or general practitioner leads to your family physician being penalized by the Ministry of Health.
    • Recurrent use of other clinics such as walk-in clinics is viewed as breach of the registration contract and can lead to de-rostering from the practice.
    • This policy does not apply to emergency department visits, specialists’ visits, or visits made out of town.


    Urgent Care Policy

    • Our Urgent Care clinic is open Monday – Friday and Saturdays
    • We are not a walk in clinic and appointments are booked by calling us on the day of your urgent illness.
    • These appointments are reserved for same day URGENT illness such as pediatric acute illness, same day major injuries, and urinary infections.
    • We ask that you respect the urgent care usage policy so that we can maintain space for those who are urgently sick.


    Portal Policy

    • Our portal is not intended to deal with urgent matters.
    • Responses can take up to 1 week (longer if your physician is on holidays).
    • Your doctor cannot diagnose you through an email. Symptoms need to be assessed in person.


    Abusive Behaviour Policy

    • Abusive behaviour towards clinic staff and health service providers will not be tolerated and can result in dismissal from the clinic.
    • Abusive behaviour includes any form of name calling, yelling, and any type of physical assault or threats.


    Changing Physicians

    Policy:

    The physicians who work at the Greenbelt Family Health Team have a No Switching Policy. Once a patient is assigned to a physician, they will not be able to switch to any other physician at this clinic. If they choose to leave the practice of the physician that they have been assigned, it is the patient’s responsibility to find another physician elsewhere in the community.

    Procedure:

    Patients unhappy with their family physician are encouraged to speak with their physician directly in an attempt to resolve any issues
    If patients are not comfortable speaking directly to their physician, they can speak to our Clinic Manager who can facilitate the discussion with their physician
    For patients who are uncomfortable having their physician perform a sensitive exam or procedure, the clinic can provide them with a male or female provider for that. Only the exam/procedure will be done by the other provider, any further discussion or follow up will take place with the patient’s family doctor.

    Patients who have left the clinic because they moved out of the catchment area and later move back can ask to be re-enrolled with their previous physician. If that practice is full the patient will have to find another physician elsewhere in the community.

    Developing and maintaining a positive, respectful relationship with your primary care provider is critical to an individual’s overall health and wellbeing. We encourage all patients to find a physician who they are comfortable with and who meets their health needs. Patients wishing to find a new physician will be directed to Health Care Connect to assist with their search.

    Feedback

    Feedback, complaints, and suggestions from our patients helps us improve our services. Patients have the right to complain about any aspect of our services and we welcome all suggestions.

    Feel free to send feedback or complaints to our Clinic Manager at manager@greenbeltfht.ca.


    Accessible Customer Service Plan

     

    Click to view 2023 Accessibility Compliance Report

     

    Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

    The Greenbelt Family Health Team welcomes and encourages people living with disabilities to use our services. GBFHT will provide access to our services for people with disabilities in a way that respects their right to dignity, independence and integration.

    Provision of Services

    GBFHT will provide services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities and Integrate services for people with disabilities. GBFHT understands that equitable access sometimes requires different treatment including separate or specialized services. However, such services will be offered in a way that respects the dignity and full participation of people with disabilities.

    Service Animals

    GBFHT welcomes service animals that are needed to assist people with disabilities. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premise that are open to the public.

    Support People

    GBFHT welcomes people with disabilities and accompanying support people.

    Assistive Devices

    GBFHT will make reasonable efforts to permit the use of assistive devices that enable people with disabilities to use GBFHT services. GBFHT defines an assistive device is a tool, technology or other mechanism that enables a person with a disability to do everyday tasks and activities such as moving, communicating or lifting (examples include, walkers, magnifiers for reading, etc…). GBFHT also recognizes that accessibility can be achieved and provided in different ways.

    Notice of Temporary Service Disruption

    GBFHT will provide notice of service disruptions in services which affect clients with disabilities, which include the reason for the disruption, how long the disruption will last and a description of available alternatives, if any. In the event of an unplanned disruption, notice will be provided as quickly as possible.

    Employee Training

    GBFHT will provide accessible customer service training to employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or third parties on our behalf. Training will also be provided to people involved in the development of polices, plans, practices and procedures related to the provision of our goods and services.
    Staff will be trained on Accessible Customer Service within 2 weeks of being hired.

    Training will include:

    -An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
    -GBFHT’s plan related to the customer service standard
    -How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
    -How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person
    -How to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods or services to people with disabilities
    -What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing GBFHT’s goods and services

    Staff will be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service plan.

    Feedback process

    GBFHT welcomes customer feedback and makes information available to all customers on how to provide feedback. Feedback is accepted by GBFHT in a variety of formats. Employee assistance is available to support all patients including people with disabilities, in providing feedback.

    Hiring The Greenbelt Family Health Team welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

    Recording a Clinical Encounter

    Policy

    The Greenbelt Family Health Team recognizes in some cases it may be beneficial for patients to have an audio/video recording of a clinical encounter which can provide improved clarity and understanding of their health care plan. The purpose of this policy is to define the areas in which these records can take place, the impact on the physician-patient relationship and the procedures involved in making the recording.

    Location

    Patient recordings are permitted only in private exam rooms with the consent of the physician. Audio and video recordings are strictly prohibited in public areas where other patients and staff members may be present. These areas include, but are not limited, to the entrance way, the waiting room, the nurse’s station and corridors.

    Impact on the Physician Patient Relationship

    We understand that patients may have valid reasons for wanting to record a clinical encounter in a private area. However, recording an encounter without the physician’s knowledge reflects a lack of confidence in the relationship on the part of the patient and as such will be grounds for termination of the therapeutic relationship. For this reason, recordings must first be discussed with and approved by the physician following the procedure set out below.

    Procedure

    Patients wishing to record a clinical encounter must first discuss this request with their physician. Together the patient and physician must come to an agreement on whether the recording will be made, how it will be made and must ensure that privacy of others will not be affected by the recording. The following steps should be taken prior to any recording:

    • The patient must notify the physician of their desire to record the clinical encounter and explain why they want the recording and how it will benefit them.
    • Together with their physician, the patient must consider whether a better alternative exists, including recording part but not all of the encounter, or a detailed written post-visit summary
    • The physician must consent to the recording. In the even the physician declines the request they must explain their reasons for their decision. At this stage, the patient and physician will decide if they wish to continue the encounter
    • If the physician consents to the recording the follow must be documented in the chart:- The physician’s consent to the recording- The patient’s expressed consent that the recording will not be posted in any public forum online, should only be used for personal use and is not to be duplicated or otherwise shared (MS)

      – A copy of the recording must be provided prior to the patient leaving the clinic as this recording forms part of the clinical encounter and must be attached to the EMR

      – If there are concerns about the patient being able to provide a copy of the recording the physician may, with the consent of the patient, record the encounter themselves and provide the patient with a copy or may take their own recording at the same time the patient takes theirs


    Our Commitment to Privacy

    The Greenbelt Family Health Team is committed to patient privacy and protecting the confidentiality of the health information we hold. We demonstrate our commitment to privacy by implementing privacy policies and procedures to protect the Personal Health Information (PHI) we hold and by educating staff and others who collect, use or disclose PHI on our behalf and about privacy responsibilities. All staff who act on behalf of Greenbelt must abide by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), our privacy policies and any applicable rules of professional conduct.

    Collection of Personal Health Information

    Under the authority of PHIPA we collect, use and disclose personal health information in order to deliver effective and timely health care and to plan and manage our programs and services.
    We limit the amount of PHI that we collect to that which is necessary to fulfil the required purpose. Information is collected directly from the patient, unless the law permits or requires collection from third parties. For example, from time to time, we may need to collect information from patients’ family members or other health care providers.
    PHI may only be collected within the limits of each Staff’s role. Staff should not initiate their own projects to collect new PHI from any source without being authorized by the Privacy Officer.

    Use and Disclosure of Personal Health Information

    PHI is not used or disclosed for purposes other than for which it was collected, except with the consent of the patient or as permitted or required by law.
    PHI may only be used and disclosed within the limits of each staff’s role. Staff may not access, read, look at or otherwise use PHI unless they have a legitimate “need to know” as part of their position.
    PHI may be disclosed without consent in certain cases including:
    • To the Medical Officer of Health to report communicable diseases
    • To Law enforcement officers with a warrant, subpoena or to aid an investigation
    • To the Children’s Aid Society where child abuse is suspected
    • To the Coroner

    Patient Access to PHI

    Patients may make written requests to have access to their PHI, and we will respond to these requests in a timely manner. The patient will be subject to any and all associated costs. The clinic will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is made available in a format that is understandable.
    Note that in certain situations we may not be able to provide access to all the PHI we hold about a patient. Example include information that could reasonably be expected to result in a risk of serious harm or is subject to legal privilege. Such exceptions to the right of access requirement will be in accordance with law.